Sheet shifter for visible index binders



Dec. 20, 1932. R, FURLQNG 1,891,376

SHEET SHIFTER FOR VISIBLE INDEX BINDERS Filed Nov. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENT OR Balandfli'ar/azz BY HIS Dec. 20, 1932. FURLONG 1,891,376

SHEET SHIFTER FOR VISIBLE INDEX BINDERS Filed Nov. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENT OR 301mm 11 Far/011 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES annie PATENT OFFICE ROLAND A. FURLONG, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE YAWMAN & ERBE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, NEW YORK OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF SHEET SHIFTER FOR VISIBLE INDEX BINDERS.

Application filed November 29, 1929. Serial No. 410,300.

This invention relates generally to visible index binders in which sheets may be shifted to open or close the spacing. The improvements will have particular utility in connection with binders of the so-called prong type. Such binders are composed of two hinged members which carry arcuate staggered prongs'adapted to enter holes in the sheets when closed. Then the hinged members are opened the ends of the prongs are separated so that sheets may be withdrawn. r

The improved'device is one which in its nature can be attached to any type of binder on the market in which there is provided capacity for sheet shifting. It is simple in con struct-ion, inexpensive to manufacture and attach, compact and convenient in use. It is not associated with the hinged members at all but is mounted at one side of the hinge .line. When employed to hold the bank of sheets being shifted it can be manipulated to carry such sheets wholly away from those remaining in the binder both to the right and to the left of the hinge line. In some embodiments of the improved device positive provision is made for controlling the extent of shift of the sheets to the extent of the spacing of the holes. In another form provision is made for opening and closing the sheets selectively to the extent of one hole or of several holes. In all embodiments shifting in one direction or the other is equally convenient for opening or closing the spaces.

The invention will be described in greater detail in connection with the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is .a view of one style of binder showing the relation of the improved shifter thereto when not in use.

Figure 2 is a View in end elevation of the binder shown in Figure 1 and showing the relation of the shifter to the other parts.

Figure 3 is a view showing the binder opened with the prongs separated, the shifter being illustrated in full lines in operative re- Figure 4 is a view in end elevation of the elements shown in Figure 3.

Figure '5 is a fragmentary view showing a binder having a modified form of shifting device made in accordancewith the present invention and showing its relation to the sheet-retaining prongs of a binder during shifting. V

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View of another modification of the improved sheet shifter in which capacity is provided-for opening-0r closing the sheets to the extent of one, two or more holes in either direction.

Figure 7 is a view in transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line 77 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing a detent to hold that form of sheet shifter in median position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detailed view in section taken on the plane'indicated by the line 8-8 ofFigure 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows. V,

The visible index binder indicated generally at a may be of any type permitting banks of sheets, to be mounted removably therein and the invention is not concerned with the characteristics of such a binder so long as its operation permits the advantageous association therewith of a sheet shifter. The binder illustrated includes two hinged members a, b, to which may be hinged in turn covers a, 7). Lock mechanism may be associated with the hinged members a and b to hold them in closed position as illustrated in Figure 2 or release them for movement into open position as shown in Figure 4. Such lock, mechanism may comprise detents 0 engageable with slots a in the member a, a finger release 0 for the detents being provided for operation in a manner which is known. On the hinged members a, b, are mounted a series of arcuate prongs a 6 respectively, which are in staggered relation but so spaced and related as to pass through the holes (Z in the banks of index sheets cl, the holes in each sheet being spaced equidistant and usually on three-eighths of an inch centers.

The improved device is intended for application to a binder of the character described or any other binder suitable for the intended purpose wherein it becomes desirable to shift some of the sheets from time to time to change the spacing of their lower edges from adjacent sheets thereby opening or closing such spacing when an additional sheet is to beinserted or a single sheet removed. In one form of the invention shown in Figures 14: the improved shifter is constructed as a U- frame or bail e having its arms pivotally 1 supported in brackets 7" which may be conveniently secured to one of the covers 6 of any type of binder. The longitudinal rail e of the frame 6 has formed therein or carries a series of prongs e which are of such number and so related to the prongs Z2 and to the holes (Z in the sheets cl as to permit any selected number of such sheets to be slid off of the prongs 6 onto the prongs e as indicated in Figures 3 and at when the said rail 6 is moved into suitable position for such a shift. For convenience, the brackets f are formed with stops 7' so that when the pivoted frame is swung over to bring the longitudinal rail 6 into proximity to the prongs b the side arms of the frame will engage the stops and the frame be arrested in its movement when it has reached the said operative position for a shift of the sheets. By this construction no skill 011 the part of the operator is required in this initial positioning.

As indicated in Figure 3 several sheets have been moved over into engagement with the prongs e on the rail 6. The frame 6 can then be swung over to the right as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4 thereby removing all of the sheets from proximity to the remaining sheets and they may be left to rest on the work surface without danger of disengagement from the prongs 6 With the parts in this relation the uppermost remaining card in the binder can be conveniently removed or an additional card engaged with the prongs b in proper relation to'the other cards in the bank. The frame 6 will then be swung back to the full-line position shown in Figure 3 with the cards which are engaged with it- If these cards are to be returned to the prongs b relatively higher in the bank than theretofore, by one hole or relatively lower in the bank than theretofore by one hole it becomes necessary to shift the rail 6 axially, upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be by a distance equal to the space of one or more holes in the cards. In the form of device illustrated in Figures 14 such a movement is permitted conveniently by making the side arms 6 of the frame springy so that they can be flexed in one direction or another very conveniently by the operator to bring about a displacement of the prongs e on the rail 0 by an amount equal to the spacing of one or more holes in the cards either upwardly or downwardly. The dotted lines in Figure 3 indicate the position of the frame when it has thus been sprung upwardly. When the prongs e have been thus moved the spacing of one hole the cards engaged with the frame can be shifted back into engagement with the prongs in the binder because the holes in such cards are alignedwith such prongs, although displaced in respect thereof by a distance equal to one hole. WVhen thus reengaged with the prongs b the shifter 6 can be thrown back to its normal position where it lies flat on the cover Z). In this position the shifter is always out of the way and since it lies wholly outside of the index cards it does not interfere in any manner with their use or the making of notations thereon. Y

The shifter 9 shown in Figure 5 may be generally of the same shape as that above described and hingedly mounted on the cover 6 by brackets f so that it can be swung back and forth, lugs f serving to stop it in operative relation to the prongs b when shifting median position on the rail 9 in either direction shall equal the distance of the spacing between the holes in the sheets. Thus, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5, when the tube h is moved upwardly until its end engages the side arm of the frame 9 the extent of this movement shall equal the distance between holes as further illustrated in this view by the dotted line positions of the prongs h. Contrariwise, when the tube h is slid downwardly until its end engages the lower arm of the frame 9 this distance should equal the distance between holes. It will be evident that a wider range of movement whereby the prongs maybe displaced a greater number of holes can be obtained by shortening the tube It. When this is done the tube can be moved upward or downward a greater distance thereby permitting the cards to be shifted several holes. For the initial engagement of the cards with the prongs h during shifting it is preferred to provide the tube a the tube is in median position. The flexibility of the tube It may serve to maintain the 1 lug in recess 9 Any other suitable form of detent such as a spring pressed detent may be employed. If desired, several detents may be provided spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the holes so as to hold the tube h slidably in any one of its several adjusted positions.

In the form of shifter shown in Figure 6 a slidable tube It having prongs h is mounted on the longitudinal rail 9' in the manner explained in connection with Figure 5. However, the side arms illustrated at G in Figure 6 of the shifter frame may be springy as described in connection with the frame illustrated in Figure 3. The effect of this construction, as will be apparent, is to enable the shifter prongs h to be moved from median position-upwardly or downwardly to span more than one hole, in the cards as may be desired for opening or closing the bank to the extent of more than one card. By sliding the tube h on the rail g until its end engages the side arm G, as illustrated in Figure 6, the prongs h are displaced by a distance equal to one hole (Z in the cards cl, As pointed out before such movement may be provided to span more than one hole. By then springing the supporting arms G by manual pressure to the necessary extent the prongs k can be carried still further until they align with the next adjacent hole in the cards (Z, the result being to enable two or more such holes to be spanned as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6. Movement of the prongs h in this manner in the reverse direction will similarly enable two or more holes to be spanned in the reverse direction giving a total span of as many holes as the device may be designed for.

It will be apparent from the description given that the improved shifter rests on a distinctive principle enabling it to be incorporated readily in a binder of any type. The invention is not limited to the precise forms illustrated nor to the exact relationship as shown between the hinder, the shifter and the cards since the shifter might be hinged at other points on either one of the covers and capacity for displacement of its prongs might be obtained by equivalent mechanical designs.

What I claim is: V

1. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter movable longitudinally of the binder and hingedly attached to one of the covers of the binder and having means for engagement with the sheets.

2. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter formed as a rectilinear bail hingedly at tached .to the binder and provided with means for-engagement with the. sheets.

3. Ina visible-indexbinder asheet shifter formed as a rectilinear bail hingedly attached to the binder and provided withmeans fonengagement by the sheets, said sheetengaging means beingmovable longitudinally of: the sheets.

4. A sheet shifting device for visible'index binders comprising arectilinear. bail having sheet-engaging means thereon. I

5.. In avisible index binder a sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear bail hingedly secured at its free ends to one of the covers and normally adapted to rest fiat on said cover. 7

6. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear bail hingedly attached at approximately the median line of one of the covers adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof and normally adapted to rest fiat on said cover with its parts outside of the bank of cards.

7. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear bail hingedly attached at approximately the median line of one of the covers adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof and normally adapted to rest fiat on saidcover with its parts outside of the bank of cards and movable into operative relation to the holes in the cards for engagement therewith of certain of the cards.

8. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter carried thereby and comprising a rectilinear bail having means for engagement with certain of the cards and movable to transfer said cards away from the remaining cards in the bank. r

9. A sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear bail and a prong carrier mounted slidably on the longitudinal member of the bail.

10. A sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear frame having a longitudinal member and two arms substantially at right angles thereto, means to mount the frame for swinging movements about a fixed axis parallel to the longitudinal member. and sheet engaging means on the longitudinal member, the said longitudinal member being movable longitudinally.

11. In a visible index binder a sheet shifter movable longitudinally of the binder, means attached to the binder to support the shifter hingedly on an axis eccentric to the axis of the binder, sheet-engaging means on the shifter, and means to arrest the shifter in its hinged movement in sheet-engaging relation to the sheets.

12. A sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear longitudinal member in spaced relation to said means, and sheet engaging means slida bly mounted on the longitudinal member.

13. A sheet shifter comprising a rectilinear bail, means to support said bail, said bail having spring arms to normally retain the longitudinal member in spaced relation to 5 said means, and sheet engaging means slidably mounted on the longitudinal member, and means tending to retard the sliding movement of the sheet engaging means on the longitudinal member. 1

This specification signed this 26th day of November, A. D. 1929.

V v ROLAND A. FURLONG. 

